Testing and Assessment Services
BWG is now offering Virtual Reality testing for ADHD!
Please read our policies regarding Psychological Testing and Assessment Services.
Psychological Testing
Psychological testing or assessment is a way for us to diagnose what may be causing symptoms, assist a person with identifying appropriate mental health care, prepare for surgery, and/or perform their best at work or school. We focus on providing thorough and comprehensive assessments within our specialty areas that are individualized to the needs of the person. Due to the formal process of testing, and amount of time it takes to administer, score, and interpret results, testing typically requires several appointments and may span 4-6+ weeks depending on the person’s needs. We complete an insurance benefits check and itemize costs and expenses for you after the first 1-2 appointments. Formal testing does not begin until after those first 1-2 appointments, during which time we focus on identifying your needs and determining what specific tests are needed. The process and costs vary widely depending on the unique needs of the person and their particular insurance plan. We will work with you to customize your experience, and let you know what to expect each step of the way.
Please note that there may be a waitlist for testing. Please contact our office about the status of wait times.
Educational Testing/Learning Disorders
Educational testing is provided for individuals ages 6+. This type of testing is designed to explore how an individual processes and understands information, performs academically, and what their relative strengths and difficulties are in these areas. Cognitive, intellectual, and/or achievement abilities are typically assessed to identify a possible intellectual developmental disorder and/or learning disorder, how they are impacting an individual, and what accommodations they may need in academic and/or community settings to assist them. Mood and behavioral measures are also commonly included in these assessments.
Diagnostic Clarity
This type of assessment typically involves a thorough examination of mood, personality and behavioral factors through standard psychological tests that can aid in determining psychological diagnoses to better inform treatment.
ADHD Testing
Assessments for Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are available for both children and adults ages 5+, and include diagnoses and recommendations for educational/work accommodations and/or treatment approaches. BWG now offers the choice of virtual reality testing to supplement these evaluations, which simulates actual environments in which attention-related problems may be present. Virtual reality testing is an exciting new method of testing that can provide enhanced results with more accuracy of diagnosis. The individual will have the choice to use either virtual reality, or other forms of standardized assessment in this evaluation.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Testing
Autism spectrum disorder assessments involve interviews and standard tests to examine social, communicative, and emotional functioning as well as behaviors common to the diagnosis, and often include examination of cognitive abilities/intellectual functioning. Assessments for Autism-Spectrum Disorder are available for children and adults ages 5+ with the use of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. Please call your insurance company to see if they accept this test in order to cover therapeutic services for autism such as Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) services.
Pre-surgical Assessment
Often, mental health professionals are asked to screen patients prior to surgery to assess their ability to successfully rehabilitate after the surgery is performed. A successful surgery does not rely on the skill of the surgeon alone. The patient’s emotional and health-related behaviors, and ability to comply with a treatment regimen, play a big role in the effectiveness of the procedure. Our office works with others in the medical profession to ensure that patients are given the type of treatments they are most likely to be able to handle emotionally as well as to reduce risk to their well-being. This type of assessment spans a variety of surgical procedures, including, but not limited to bariatric assessment, spinal cord stimulator surgeries, and gender affirming surgery. The evaluation involves clinical interviewing specific to the surgery candidate needs and typically includes standardized measures for mood, behavior, and personality factors.
Bariatric Assessment
This is an evaluation that determines whether this type of surgery is appropriate for a patient at this point in time. Bariatric surgery requires that a patient significantly change their relationship with food and other behavioral changes. Patients are educated as to how they will need to change, and it will be determined if they are healthy enough and psychologically ready for the surgery.
Pain Assessment
These evaluations can be used for determining what types of surgery, treatments, or procedures may be helpful for managing chronic pain. A common assessment in this category is spinal cord stimulator surgery. Candidates for this pain management approach are typically referred for a psychological assessment in order to determine their psychological readiness for the procedure.
Gender Affirming Surgery
These evaluations can be used to assist those preparing to undergo surgery that affirms their gender identity, and focuses on psychological preparedness for these procedures. Gender affirming surgery involves procedures designed to bring congruence to gender identity and bodily characteristics, and is sometimes referred to as gender reassignment surgery or gender confirmation surgery. Our clinicians follow the standards of care from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) and commit to providing a safe and welcoming environment.
Appropriateness of Medication Approaches
At times, medical providers will request that their patient be assessed for the appropriateness of certain medications, such as stimulants or narcotics. Candidates for this assessment battery typically will undergo clinical and personality testing, pain assessments and other screeners.
Memory Screening Assessments
Memory screening and testing is used to examine short and long-term recall and related auditory and visual processing. These screens are only available for individuals ages 16+. Screenings of this nature typically also include measures of intellectual abilities, personality functioning, and mood to examine what may be contributing to memory-related difficulties. This type of testing can be used to provide an initial impression about concerns associated with memory changes and aging, or general concerns about memory functioning. This testing is for screening purposes only, and will not provide extensive details about neuropsychological functioning, but may be viewed as an initial step before seeking additional specialized testing. Depending on the results of this initial screen, a referral to a neuropsychologist outside of BWG may be made for a specialized or more thorough evaluation.